Theoretical study of the barriers to internal rotation in nitrous acid

Abstract

Nitrous acid, HONO, has been studied for three geometries by the ab initio LCAO SCF MO method with a basis of accurate gaussian atomic orbitals. The trans geometry is correctly predicted to be most stable, lying about 2 kcal/mole lower than the cis form, and 9 kcal/mole lower than the 90° form (experimental estimates being 0.4 and 11.6 kcal/mole, respectively). Population analysis, dipole moment components, and properties related to nuclear-nuclear and nuclear-electron potentials all show a partial breaking of the hydroxyl oxygen-nitrogen bond at 90° compared to cis and trans, as well as the effects of electronic rearrangement for nuclear screening in the high nuclear repulsion cis form. The cis to 90° barrier is dominated by the attractive components of the total energy, while the trans to 90° one is dominated by repulsive components, in agreement with our analysis and an earlier prediction by Allen.